1. Technical Field
The invention includes embodiments that relate to an article that has a thermal transport layer. The invention includes embodiments of making and of using the article.
2. Discussion of Art
Light-emitting devices (“LEDs”) are inorganic chips that can be used as light sources. Some LEDs may be used in electronic displays, as visual traffic control systems, and in general lighting, automotive, and industrial applications.
At present, heat dissipation is an obstacle faced by commercial LEDs, especially in applications that involve the use of LEDs as light sources. LED's useful lifetime and its emitted color or wavelength may be changed in response to an increase in operating temperature. A portion of the current that is applied to the electrodes is converted into thermal energy rather than into light. To maintain the light source at an acceptable operating temperature and to achieve an adequate usage lifetime and to provide constant luminous flux at certain wavelength, such an illumination system may be equipped with a heat removal system.
Some LED-containing systems have thermal management systems. Although partial thermal management can be done by carefully designing LED device, control junction temperature, and forward current, the thermal management system may also include new integration method to effectively dissipate heat energy by employing additional coating layers, microfluidic channels, and packaging method. Usually, a heat sink in communication with a substrate on which the LED is mounted is a simple thermal management solution. The heat sink may dissipate heat with a fan or a piezoelectric jet actuator. While this approach may dissipate some of the heat generated by the LED, it may increase the size and/or footprint of the module. The fan or piezoelectric device may generate noise.
It may be desirable to have a light-emitting article, device or system having a structure, property or characteristic that differs from those currently available. It may be desirable to have a method of making or using the light-emitting article that differs from currently available methods.